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Welcome to Laos
Land-locked and laid-back, Laos is the forgotten country of South-East Asia. In former times the country was known as Lane Xang or the Land of a Million Elephants and today elephants can still be found living wild and working in its great forests. Laos is a country where visitors can really escape from the stresses of modern life and step back into the tranquility of a world dominated by Buddhism.
The great physical feature of Laos is the mighty Mekong River which flows into Laos from China in the far north and out into Cambodia in the far south. The capital Vientiane, and Luang Prabang the former Royal capital in the north, are the two main centres visitors usually head for.
ElefantAsia
ElefantAsia is a registered non-profit initiative aimed at safeguarding the Asian elephant, an emblematic endangered species worldwide. We have been working in Laos, ‘the land of a million elephants', since 2001.
Elephant Park
The Elephant XL Camp near Xieng Lom village was established in 2003 to protect the Asian elephants in Laos. As the forests disappear, the elephants which used to help with logging can become neglected. Our aim is to give these elephants a brighter future. So far six elephants have been freed from logging work and given a new home in the park. Experienced mahouts (elephant keepers) and vets help the elephants adapt to their new environment, with sick or older elephants receiving special attention.
Vientiane Orchids
Our aim is to grow, market and export Lao orchids legally cultivated in order to participate in their conservation through various incentive projects that will promote and assist the orchids conservation. We are taking part in the fight against the poaching and the illegal orchid's trade by offering the poachers an alternative - through legal and sustainable orchid production and export.
Xe Pian Ecotourism Project
Xe Pian National Protected Area (NPA) spans 240,000 hectares across the Champassak and Attapeu Provinces on the southern tip of Laos. This hilly lowland and extensive flatland habitat is a mosaic of rivers and wetlands, semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forests. At least 25 endangered mammal species and a number of rare bird species like the Woolly-necked Stork are found in Xe Pian NPA.
Khammouane Eco Guides
The Khammouane Eco Guide Service operates locally guided ecotours to Khammouane's attractions. Tours are led by trained villagers who provide information in English, Lao and Thai on the area's wildlife, history, culture and other attractions.
Heritage House
The Heritage Information Centre (Heuanchan) is part of a project using information and communications technology to aid in the management of World Heritage sites and also promote sustainable development. Working in cooperation with UNESCO, La Maison du Patrimoine (Heritage House) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology are documenting Luang Prabang's historic, environmental and cultural heritage into an extensive database and also educating the local community and business sector on the need to sustain Luang Prabang's unique assets.
MTDP
The LNTA-ADB Mekong Tourism Development Project (MTDP) assists local communities to develop their capacity to participate in and benefit from tourism. The project provides training to communities on guiding, hospitality, cooking, tourism management and marketing.
Nam Ha Eco Guides
The Nam Ha Eco Guide Service, set up in 2000 in Luang Namtha Province with assistance from UNESCO and the Lao National Tourism Administration, offers community-based ecotours that include forest trekking, river trips and village homestays.
L'Etranger; Books & Tea
Books are a rare commodity in Laos. One of our goals is to build a collection of books and magazines available for anyone who wishes to read. We sell, rent, buy and trade all kinds of books.
Vang Vieng Organic Farm
Our farm, in Phoudindaeng village was founded in 1996 to introduce organic farming methods in an area where chemicals and deforestation were ruining the land. Leading by example, we aim to show that organic methods can be profitable as well as healthy. Our mission is to "preserve ecological diversity and provide locals with accessible and sustainable technologies to earn a living".
Lao Mountain Coffee
We are a small roasting company focused on providing the highest quality beans that are uniquely blended and freshly roasted. We have the great privilege of using only Lao grown beans from the Bolaven Plateau in the South, a fertile, high elevation volcanic terrain perfect for specialty coffee. All of our coffee beans come from elevations between 1,000m and 1,300m.